FEINGILLID^E — THE FINCHES — MELOSPIZA. 213 



Amer. pi. TO, f. 2, is based on a specimen closely resembling M. Heermanni, 

 but much siiuiUer, the skiu measuring only 4.70 inches ; wing, 2.10 ; tail, 

 2.38 ; while the bill and feet are nearly as large as in M. Heermanni. It 

 was sent from England l>y Mr. John Gould, laljclled " California," and may 

 possibly be a southern dwarfed specimen I'rom tlie peninsula. None that I 

 ha^^e collected, even in the most southern localities, are nearly so small, the 

 wing being always at least half an inch longer. 



Specimens from Mojave Eiver, San Diego, Santa Barbara, S. B. Island, 

 and San Francisco differ oidy in the comparative stoutness of their- bills, 

 which seems insufficient to distinguish more than one species, and may de- 

 pend on age. 



Tills species is the representative of the genus in all the southern half of 

 California, except Colorado A'alley, being found in e^'ery locality where 

 there are thickets of low bushes and tall weeds, especially in the vicinity of 

 water, but coming familiarly about gardens and houses if unmolested by its 

 enemy the cat. Tlieir usual resort is on the ground under the shade of 

 plants, where they industriously scratch for seeds tliroughout the day, rarely 

 flying more than a few yards, and never deserting their homes from one end 

 of the year to the other. 



Occasionally, especially in spring, tliey perch on some low bush or tree 

 and sing their lively and pleasing melodies, for an hour at a time, each song 

 being a comj)lete little stanza of a dozen notes, and frequently varied or 

 changed entirely for another of similar style, but quite distinct. There is 

 no dilficulty in distinguishing their songs when once heard, although no 

 two birds sing precisely alike. There is a similarity of tone and style in 

 all the species of Melospiza proper, that has led former observers to consider 

 them as of only one species, when taken in connection with their similar 

 colors and habits. 



The nest of tliis species I cannot positively describe, though I found 

 one at Santa Cruz in June, which I liave little doubt belonged to it. It 

 was built in a dense blackberry-bush, about tliree feet from the ground, 

 formed of a thick wall of grasses and bark, lined with finer grasses. There 

 were but two eggs, smoky white, and densely sjDcckled with dull brown. I 

 waited for more eggs to be laid, but on my next visit found that it had been 

 robbed. 



" Zonotrichia giafetta," of Heennann, P. E. Eep. X. vi. 47, refers chiefly to 

 this species, which he collected in Ttgon Yalley, wliile he did not obtain the 

 true guttdta {j'ufina, which see). 



Though this bird was abundant around Santa Cruz, I only found two 

 nests after much searching. The first, built on a willow, close against the 

 tree, and three feet from the ground, contained four eggs partly hatched 

 on May 11th. (I had seen newly fledged young on the 7th.) It was com- 



